What price beef?
So there’s a story making its rounds through many of the major news outlets right now claiming that read meat is harmful to your health. In fact, a headline from the San Francisco Chronicle grimly reads, “Study claims red meat can be deadly.” The lead:
“Eating red meat increases the chances of dying prematurely, according to a large federal study that offers powerful new evidence that a diet that regularly includes steaks, burgers and pork chops is hazardous to your health.”
By “regularly,” the National Cancer Institute study means “the equivalent of about a small hamburger every day.” It followed more than 500,000 people ages 50 to 71 over the span of 10 years. Those who ate meat “regularly” during the span were “30 percent more likely to die during the 10 years they were followed.” (click on this link to read exact numbers and other details.)
The problems I have with this study — thought it does present some useful information — is the “regularly” part. Does the general population really eat red meat daily? What if the study was on fish: If you ate tuna every single day, would you suffer the same (or similar) diseases as the red-meat-eating population? (Jeremy Piven’s mercury poisoning, anyone? Ha.) Do these findings reveal anything about people who eat red meat in moderation?
– Cynthia Furey
Side note: March madness is a month-long challenge in which I will post Monday through Friday for the entire month. Thank you for reading!
March 25th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
You know, I always think it’s so funny how the titles are so misleading. Nothing in the title says “eating the equivalent of a hamburger a day.” I don’t think most people don’t eat the equivalent of a hamburger’s worth of red meat a day, simply because they grow tired of the same flavor/texture day by day and want something different!
Thanks for pointing out the details in the article, Cynthia!
March 27th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
In 1998, a rainstorm triggered slides that damaged 300 homes, 18 seriously. Two people were killed.I think we have a bit of a California perspective on meat eating – we don’t eat nearly as much as the rest of the country. AP reported last year that in 2007, the average American ate 84.9lbs chicken, 63.5lbs beef, 48.2lbs pork, and 17.5lbs turkey. Just counting the red meat, that’s over 111lbs a year, or more than 1/3lb a day (plus another 1/3lb a day in chicken and turkey).
There are quite a few studies that link certain cancers with meat consumption, and there’s a definite environmental impact with production, especially of beef. I’m not saying everyone can/will/should stop eating meat, but cutting back might not be a bad idea…
March 27th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
LOL, ignore the first sentence of my response. Copy and Paste has ruined me again!
March 28th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Pearl: You’re welcome! Post another story on your blog, will ya?
I wait eagerly for your next post.
LOL M. Doss, that first line (though really sad) made me wonder if you were going to tell me that some cows survived.
March 29th, 2009 at 1:37 am
Red meat is JUST fine! We’re not skerred…